The present invention relates generally to still projection devices and more particularly to a hand-held projection device which is adapted for projection of pictures from a film strip housed within a cartridge.
In most devices of the hand-held projector type, numerous inter-related small parts (wheels, pawls, springs, levers, cams, etc.) form the film-advance mechanism. The relatively large number of parts in conventional systems contributes to cumulative dimensional tolerances which tend to add to manufacturing cost and result in unreliable and marginal product performance.
The object of this invention is to overcome the above deficiencies without sacrificing quality or dependability. It is intended to provide a rugged, simple mechanism of few parts, high reliability and low manufacturing cost.
A more specific oobject of the present invention is to provide a hand-held projector which has a drive mechanism capable of intermittently advancing the film at a speed determined by the operator of the projector.
A further specific object of the invention is to provide a hand-held projector which includes a film driving claw for engaging and advancing the film in a cartridge in discrete linear steps.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a projector of the type in which the film is driven by a manual hand operation which is easy to use, minimizes eye discomfort, is relatively noiseless, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of the invention in connection with the drawings to be described more fully hereinafter.